Drinking One Glass a Day Shortens Lifespan by Two and a Half Months
A study has found that drinking an average of just two drinks per week can shorten lifespan. People who drink one glass of alcohol daily may reduce their lifespan by as much as two and a half months.
On the 6th (local time), the British Daily Mail and others reported citing the results of over five years of research by Dr. Tim Stockwell, a scientist at the Canadian Institute for Substance Abuse Research. Dr. Stockwell warned, “Believing that drinking alcohol is good for health is merely self-comfort.”
There is some data suggesting that a certain amount of alcohol is beneficial for heart health, but it remains controversial. The belief that moderate alcohol consumption is good for health is known to have originated from the ‘French Paradox.’ This refers to studies showing that although French people consume fatty foods and large amounts of wine, their incidence of heart disease is relatively lower compared to other countries.
Dr. Stockwell’s research was different. He pointed out that alcohol can damage organs including the brain, nervous system, heart, liver, and pancreas, and since alcohol itself is a toxin, it can cause cellular damage and inflammation. He warned, “Drinking an average of two drinks per week throughout life shortens lifespan by 3 to 6 days, and those who drink one glass daily may reduce their lifespan by two and a half months.”
Additionally, people who drink five glasses daily may shorten their lifespan by about two years. Dr. Stockwell emphasized that his predictions do not apply to everyone but stressed the need for caution. He added, “The fact that you can drink means you are still healthy, but you cannot guarantee that being healthy now means you will remain healthy in the future.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a daily alcohol intake limit of 40g for men (equivalent to 4 glasses of soju) and 20g for women (equivalent to 2 glasses of soju). Drinking habits are also important. When drinking, it is important to drink slowly, reduce carbonated beverage intake as much as possible, and drink plenty of water to prevent a rapid increase in blood alcohol concentration.
Earlier in April, a survey by the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT) on the ‘Liquor Industry Information Status’ showed that adults in Korea who consume alcohol at least once a month drank an average of 9 days per month and 6.7 glasses on drinking days last year, regardless of the type of alcohol.
In a survey conducted in November last year targeting 2,000 adults aged 19 to 59 in Korea, when asked about the amount of alcohol consumed in glasses regardless of the type of alcohol on drinking days, the average amount consumed was 6.7 glasses, down from 7.0 glasses a year earlier.
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